Depression decisions — 2021

The Board has decided to remand the cases of sleep apnea and an acquired psychiatric disorder (including PTSD and depression) for further development, including obtaining VA treatment records and providing a VA examination.

The Board has decided that the Veteran's claims for service connection for menorrhagia with pelvic pain, major depression, and anemia should be remanded due to inadequate rationale in a previous VA examination.

The Board has remanded the claims for service connection due to insufficient evidence regarding the Veteran's in-service exposure and its relation to his current conditions. The claims are pending further examination and opinion.

The Veteran's anxiety disorder with depression, including his alcohol use disorder, is rated at 70 percent since January 17, 2013. A TDIU is also granted.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim of service connection for depression, finding that there was no evidence to support a direct relationship between his current condition and his military service.

The Veteran's claim for service connection for major depressive disorder with psychosis was granted, and the effective date is set at July 26, 1989.

The Veteran's PTSD with major depression was not productive of total occupational and social impairment prior to January 20, 2021.,Prior to January 20, 2021, the Veteran met the schedular criteria for TDIU, but there is a reasonable doubt as to whether his service-connected PTSD with major depression rendered him unable to obtain or maintain substantially gainful employment.

The Board has decided to remand the case due to insufficient evidence regarding the Veteran's claimed psychiatric disorders, specifically PTSD. The VA examiner needs to provide an addendum opinion addressing whether these conditions are related to service.

The Board has remanded several issues for further development, including service connection for sacroiliac joint dysfunction and ratings for spinal fusion, carpal tunnel syndromes, and gastroesophageal reflux disease.

The Veteran's TBI and acquired psychiatric disabilities, including PTSD and depressive disorder, are granted.,New evidence has been submitted to reopen the claim for service connection of an acquired psychiatric disability. The current diagnosis is related to his active duty service.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient evidence regarding the Veteran's claimed psychiatric conditions and their relationship to service. The RO is instructed to obtain any missing service treatment records, particularly those from Fort Benning and Fort Ord, and request an addendum medical opinion to address the Veteran's lay assertions of counseling during basic training.

The Board granted an earlier effective date of September 12, 2013 for the award of service connection for other specified depressive disorder and a higher initial rating of 10 percent for right cranial nerve V neuropathy. The appellant is entitled to attorney fees based on past-due benefits awarded in the February 2021 rating decision.

The reduction of the disability rating for major depressive disorder from 50 percent to 30 percent was not proper, and the 50 percent rating is restored effective July 1, 2020.

The Veteran's Parkinson's disease with fasiculation-cramp syndrome and depressive disorder are granted service connection, while the compensable rating for bilateral hearing loss is denied.

The Board has referred the issues of service connection for various disabilities to the AOJ for adjudication. The AOJ must address these intertwined claims before determining whether the appellant can be considered a veteran.

The Veteran's PTSD with alcohol use disorder and unspecified depressive disorder is rated at a 50 percent prior to August 6, 2013 and a 70 percent from July 20, 2017 to December 14, 2017. The appeal for higher ratings is denied.

The Board denied the Veteran's claim of service connection for his claimed acquired psychiatric disorder, finding that the evidence did not support a finding that his disorders were incurred or aggravated during active duty.

The Board denied service connection for an acquired psychiatric disorder, including PTSD, and OSA. The Veteran's claims were not granted as the evidence did not support a finding that his current conditions are related to service or any service-connected disability.

The Veteran's acquired psychiatric disorder, specifically persistent depressive disorder, is granted as service connected.,PTSD was denied due to lack of diagnosis during the appeal period.

The Veteran's MDD and bilateral knee disabilities have been granted a rating of 70 percent, effective May 31, 2016. A TDIU has also been granted from that date.